True and False Joy

This is one of the ways the religion of Jesus Christ excels all other religions, in that it produces the only real joy known upon earth. Two-thirds of the religion of the Bible is feeling, viz., joy and peace. However, there are some false joys which Satan attaches to his religion, to make it appear to be the genuine.

Let us notice some of the false joys. The first is circumstantial joy, which makes its possessor feel good and joyful when circumstances are favorable, especially when they have wealth, position, and health. But when the wind changes and wealth, health, and position go, this joy goes also and leaves its possessor sad, grum and blue.

The next false joy is pumped-up joy. This kind is generally manufactured by people who are back-slidden in heart, by people who once had the real Holy Ghost joy, but have lost it. Therefore, when it comes their time to testify in meeting, they say something to keep up appearance, and they must say it with zeal and apparent unction. So since they are not in possession of the real joy, they must manufacture it, i. e., pump it up (). So they begin to prime themselves by singing their favorite songs, or exhorting on their hobby, or clubbing and browbeating some poor weak soul in their testimony, about something upon which they have no light, until they feel warmed up; or in other words, hammered fire. You can take a hammer and strike upon an anvil until it becomes hot enough to burn your hand; this is what we call "hammered fire." This is what people do in the meeting when they have lost the real bubbling-over joy, and the glowing Holy Ghost fire. They commence to hammer, exhort and browbeat some one else in their testimony, until they work up a shout.

O Lord, deliver us from these religious pugilists!

The next phase of false joy is superficial joy. Souls generally have this kind, who have not confessed out and dug down to bed rock; to the real living stream, but have simply claimed the blessing without digging down and striking fire. They try at times to shout and get blessed when the real saints are getting blessed, but you can detect a shallowness and hollowness in their "Hallelujah" and "Glory to God." They do not seem to swing clear and clean in their souls. They seem hidebound someway and somewhere. Hence their "Hallelujahs" and "Glorys" someway make the groans come over your soul.

The next thought to be considered is how to obtain the real joy.

First, the seeker must renounce all sin and doubtful things and doubtful practices, yes, every weight and soul entanglement.

Second, dig down, by prayer, fasting, self-abnegation, confession, and faith, until you strike the living stream of Salvation, which will cause you to know, beyond a shadow of doubt, that you have the real thing. Mr. Wesley says, "None, therefore, ought to believe that the work is done, till there is added the testimony of the Spirit, witnessing His entire sanctification as clearly as His justification" ("Plain Account").

Observe a few benefits derived from the "Joy of the Lord."

First, it is a sure cure for the "blues" and "long-facedness." People who have this joy are never troubled on these lines. No matter if the stove does smoke or the baby cry, or the clothes-line breaks, or the children upset the inkstand on the parlor carpet; this joy does not cease to flow. However, this does not mean that the children should not be punished for upsetting the inkstand!

A second benefit is, it is a sure cure for cowardice, fear of man, shamefacedness, etc. It will make you as bold as a lion, and put the "flint face" upon you, so that you will not be ashamed to sing and pray in public.

Its third benefit is, it is permanent. It lasts from revival to revival; from camp-meeting to camp-meeting. No matter how things are dried up around you-dead churches and backslidden preachers and members-you will have joy the year round.

Now reader, if you have not this joy there is something undoubtedly wrong. O, do investigate this matter at once and remove the obstruction, and your joy will flow as a river!